Life, 1888-02-16 · page 5 of 20
Life — February 16, 1888 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 89 **Top Cartoon - "Impending Disgrace":** This depicts a domestic financial dispute between Mr. Courtenay Van H. Doolyttle (described as having "blue blood" but "meagre" purse) and Mrs. C. Van H. D. The satire mocks wealthy families maintaining social pretense while facing money troubles. The husband refuses his wife money to preserve "family dignity," a commentary on aristocratic hypocrisy during financial strain. **Middle Section - "Culture and Science":** A brief humor piece mocking pretentious literary discussion, where Mrs. Beaconhill claims to read "great literary news" but admits it's mostly gossip about Sullivan and Smith. **Bottom - "Leap Year" and "She Wanted It":** Light romantic humor about courtship customs and newspaper subscriptions. The page reflects early 20th-century American satirical commentary on class pretension and domestic economics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
IMPENDING DISGRACE. Mr. Courtenay Van H. Doolyttle (whose supply of blue blood is extensive, but whose purse is meagre, to the plebeian but wealthy Mrs. C. Van H. D,): BUT IF YOU REFUSE ME MONEY, IN THIS WAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN’T EXPECT ME TO KEEP UP THE DIGNITY OF THE FAMILY NAME. CULTURE AND “SCIENCE.” RS. BEACONHILL (of Boston): Phoebe, you seem intensely interested in the morning paper. Any great literary news ? PHBE: Oh, no, mamma; but it’s full of dear Mr. Sullivan and Jem Smith. NOTHER Western bank has collapsed, and when we reflect that its responsible manager was named DeCamp we have not much sympathy for the depositors. Our chief wonder is that De- Camp didn’t get away. The Indian sport of hunting deer with leopards can be en- joyed with an inflated artificial leopard, and is strongly recom- mended to the lovers of anise-seed bag and tame-fox hunting. HOLLY: Why, Pelham, what’s the matter with your mustache—it’s all mussed up? PELHAM: Oh, nothing much, deah boy. Ella Bjones caught me under the mistletoe, that’s all. SHE WANTED IT. 6¢ T THINK, George, if you intend subscribing for a funny paper,” said Mrs. Sprig- gins, “this year, you might take Ex. I see it quoted all over, and the jokes are nearly always good.” comicbooks.com